Fran's Burgers is one of the best places to go in Austin for a reasonably low cost and great food. They have juicy burgers that come in three choices of large, larger, and huge. There's no place that offers such large burgers like Fran's. The atmosphere is also very old fashioned since it used to be a drive in. The interior and exterior is not polished up at all and looks like they just moved into a building that was falling apart. However, the food tastes great and it is not expensive which is what counts.

Stubb's BBQ is another nice little restaurant that offers good food for reasonable prices and they have live entertainment. The type of food at this restaurant is Texas barbecue food and it has been around since the mid 80's. The one thing I enjoy about this place is that you can listen to a live band while you eat.

If you like Japanese food then there is a restaurant that I would recommend as a place with good food and good prices. The place is called Zen and they offer very big portions that you could share with another person. It also serves chicken, steak and shrimp.
Galloways Sandwich Shop is located off of East 12th Street. They don't have sandwiches but they offer other types of foods including fried chicken and pork chops. They also have breakfasts available with pancakes and fried eggs. Galloways is a very small place but good food with good prices.

A couple of other restaurants to check out are Hoovers which specializes in Southern food and Eddie V's which is located near the arboretum downtown. You may pay a little more at these restaurants since they are near everything but you have to think about the convenience as well. There are plenty of restaurants to choose from in Austin that have good food for an economical price.

Everyone has to go see the art in Paris. The culture and ideas are so unique. Therefore, one of the top places to visit would have to be the Centre Pompidou. Here are several things to do. You can visit a large library, a museum of modern art, and/or listen to music. The building was uniquely designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano. Center Pompidou opened in 1977 and was named after the President of France (1969-74)

The Arc de Triomphe is another monument in Paris. This Arc gives one an opportunity to take great pictures of the city along with being able to admire its great architecture. Napolean Bonaparte had commissioned it be built in 1806 after a victory at Austerlitz. The Arc was in honor to those that fought in wars for France.

If you have children with you then you may want to visit the infamous Disneyland Paris. It is the largest theme park in Paris. Another theme park to visit is Park Asterix which has 27 attractions along with 6 shows and of course multiple rides for the adventurous and daring. There are a number of museums as well that your children may enjoy. There's the Grevin Wax Museum and a doll museum.

After an entire day of site-seeing one needs to visit the Eiffel Tower. The nightlife is fantastic. Have dinner in the Tower and enjoy the view of a beautiful city. This is definitely one of the top places to visit when in Paris. The tower was considered one of the tallest buildings in the world in 1889. Originally the tower was meant to be only temporary. It was built to commemorate the centennial of the French Revolution. Yet, it remained standing and has become a symbol of France. Did you know that the tower is the main transmitter for television in Paris? Gustave Eiffel made the design of the tower as part of a contest and won. The Eiffel Tower has three floors and at each level you must pay to see it. If you want to enter it is about $6 and to get to the top you pay about $20.

Other places to see in Paris are The Louvre Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, Picasso Museum, the Paris Aquarium, and Versailles. All of these places will give you view of history and beauty while appreciating the arts and finding new-found appreciation for the architecture.

Some of the best places to visit in London are the London Bridge to start. I took photographs near the bridge by a park and up on the bridge. There is even a tour that will take you up into the bridge itself where you can look out into the ocean and the city.

Buckingham Palace is a must-see. The beautiful architecture is a sight to behold. The black and gold gates are striking especially when the bobbies stand next to them. I had a picture taken with one. The guards are also switched out every couple of hours and it is intriguing. Many people will stand outside the gates to try to get a glimpse of royalty.

Abbey Road Studios is located off St. John's Wood and isn't open to the public but you can take photos there. You can check out the place where the Beatles crossed the street for their album cover Abbey Road.

St. Paul's Cathedral is an amazing Catholic Cathedral to take a tour in. It has several sections. The first section reaches a walkway called Whispering Gallery. The next section is an outdoor walk. These sections continue to go into higher levels and eventually you will get a spectacular view of London.

Portobello Road is opened daily and it is a type of flea market that sells antiques. It is a cool place to visit when you are looking for a bargain.

The National Gallery in Trafalgo Square is a good museum for those that enjoy going to museums on vacations. They display works of Leonardo De Vinci and have several Egyptian artifacts and antiques as well as Ancient Greek sculptures. It is one of the better museums in London.

Finally, there are a few more places to visit while in London. Take a walk to the West End where you can catch a show. It is considered the Theatre District. Go to the Tower of London which is best seen at night. If you have a chance to do so go visit the Big Ben and take a bus tour around the city.

Oheo Gutch is probably one of the best things to go do in Maui. The scenery is breathtaking. You can go swimming but you will need to be aware of weather conditions as well as which pool you decide to swim in. There are many waterfalls and pools that lead into each other. There is one pool in particular that leads into the ocean and you must not swim in that one otherwise you could get badly hurt. The Oheo Gutch is a natural wonder and is also known as the 7 Sacred Pools.

Goofy Foot Surf School teaches amateurs how to surf. The classes are small so that you can get that one on one instruction. A beginner's class can cost around $55 per person. There are intermediate classes available as well and the school offer board rentals.

B&B Scuba Diving Services offers three day courses to long-term dive master courses. There are guided tours as well as boat tours. They also allow people to rent diving gear.

Trilogy Excursions is a sailing adventure. There are six sailing catamarans in this fleet including Ka'anapali and the Lahaina Harbor. This is five hours worth of sunning and sailing with some snorkeling.

Ka'anapali Beach has a landmark called the Black Rock. This is where people will dive off from since it is very high and can potentially be dangerous if you don't know what you are doing. The beach is not as busy as the Waikiki beach so you will have a lot of area to yourself. There are resorts, restaurants, and shops nearby.

Makina State Park is the perfect beach to tan and swim. It has two parts. One beach is called the Big Beach which is for the family and the Little Beach which is not for the whole family. The Little Beach is a nude beach where you can also boogie board and surf.

The Summer months can see temperatures as high as 90 degrees, but the average temperature is 85 degrees. The Summer months are during May through October. The Winter months are from November through April. The temperatures have been as low as 10 degrees but only at night. The average temperature during the day is 78 degrees which is not much different than the Summer months. Yet, during the Winter Hawaii will experience the most rain. Flooding is not uncommon.

There are several little islands that belong to Hawaii. Depending on which side you live on will depend on how much dry or wet weather you will get. Typically, when you live on the windward side which is the northeast side you will get the most rain and the coolest weather. This happens since the winds are coming from the northeast. The driest parts of the island will be the southwest area of the islands. The southwest side is called the leeward side since the winds die down and the rains tend to lighten by the time it gets to the southwest side of the islands.

Hurricanes do not happen as often you may think. The last major hurricane that hit Hawaii was in 1991 which was the most severe hitting Inko, Kauai, and parts of Ohau. For the most part, hurricanes do not hit Hawaii. They may get heavy winds, but nothing too strong to destroy the islands.

If you are looking for a place to go on vacation that has the most reasonable and consistent weather then think about going to Hawaii. If you want to visit the higher elevations of the island then be sure to dress appropriately with pants and a sweater since it can get rather cold up there depending on what time of year you go. It doesn't just have natural beauty but it offers great weather.

Of course some of the great hot spot in San Diego are the beaches. Everyone goes to the beach and even if you are single you are bound to meet other singles. There are surfer beaches where you can learn to surf and ride the big waves. Some beaches also have bars and dancing towards the evening. There are several of restaurant's to check out along with various Bar and Grill's.

The Altitude Sky Bar is located on the 22nd floor of the Marriott's Gaslamp which is the rooftop. It has a great view of the city nightlife.

Stingaree is a large restaurant mixed with a club and lounge included. It is a large place that can hold up to 1200 people and there is a cover charge of $20. This is definitely one of the hottest spots in San Diego for singles.

Pacific Beach Bar and Grill has 60 televisions sets including plasma tv's and various cable stations to watch. There are mostly sporting events that are aired for large crowds since the place is able to hold a good amount of people with a comfortable amount of room. There is an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet for those that stay very late into the morning. It is known for its great tasting food.

Johnny V plays classic rock and 80's music. It is geared towards an older than college age crowd. You can play pool and have some drinks during happy hour. By 10pm the dance floor is crowded.

Finally, there are a few more places to mention.The Open Bar has a DJ and dancing mostly towards the evening. Cass Street Bar and Grill has the most activity between 8-11pm. It is a sport event viewing place that offers great food and drinks. If you are going to stay in San Diego there are a number of cottages and motels that are all nice and economical. Always plan ahead and prepare yourself to have great fun.

The place I stayed at was a little hotel that had separate rooms. There were two bedrooms included along with cable and a refrigerator. It wasn't too fancy but I liked the idea that it convenient, economical, safe, and quiet. The place I would recommend anyone going to Colorado Springs is Beverly Hills Hotel. You will find one man who owns this little place. There is a maximum of 12 apartment size rooms and each one has its own parking. There are horses in the far back of the hotel.

There was horseback riding offered but you had to get up early to get on their list. They also closed by 5pm. Don't plan to go out and come back later since they will probably be full or out on a trail.

Up the street towards the back of the horse ranch you will come across parts of Garden of the Gods. There are residential homes around the area as well. The Garden of the Gods runs several miles around. You must drive very slowly as the roads wind around tightly but there aren't too many cars driving around. Many tourists decide to jog or hike through the mountains and from there climb the rocks. This area was so relaxing and was truly healing. Wildlife was all around. I saw Deers crossing roads and Eagles flying around.

You will need to ride up the mountain to Pikes Peek as well. The elevation is so high that I became very dizzy when I reached it. It took a little while before I could get myself together well enough to take pictures. The scenery was absolutely amazing. You could see far away mountains that had some frost on the tops. The air was clean but the clouds were coming in to give some rain. You have to be careful going back down despite the slow speed of the train. You can still get very sick depending on if you have high blood pressure or various other conditions. This ride may not be good for you then. Many tourists take the plunge and hike up to Pikes Peek. There is plenty of wildlife there as well.

If you are looking for a place to take the family Colorado Springs is definitely a place I would recommend. There are economical places to stay and eat. There is plenty to do that doesn't cost very much or anything at all. There are plenty activities you can do with your family that wouldn't cost a dime. You can also take a jeep tour or balloon tour that is offered around town. There are places to rent canoes and rafts as you try to go down some rapids or calm waters. All of these are low priced adventures.

Afghanistan is probably the worst in how women live. Up until 1996 things were not so bad for women. They worked outside the home and they went to school. However, once the Islamic militia took leadership in this country everything changed. Women cannot leave the house without being accompanied by a man. When they leave the house they must wear a Burqa which allows only their eyes to show. The women that once went to school and once worked were forced to give up everything and were beaten and forced to immediately return home when they tried to continue with their daily routine.

Saudi Arabia is a bit different than Afghanistan. They do restrict their women from such things as voting or dressing as they wish, yet there is a different viewpoint to why the women are expected to do certain things. In Saudi Arabia women are expected to eat and shop away from men. They are expected to remain covered, but they do not have to wear a burqua. This is a place you must understand before ever going to it. Women are thought of as highly sexual beings that need to be away from the men in order for the men to concentrate. When a girl marries a man they are expected to remain together forever. The girl is expected to have many children but she is well taken care of at the same time.

There is going to be no thought of how she is going to survive even if her husband died. She inherits the money. Saudi Arabia is one of the richest countries in the world. The women may not be able to eat with the men at a restaurant or go shopping with the men, but when they are at home they are treated like gold. They are highly respected, but as an American woman, we do not see it that way. There are cases of abuse as there is everywhere. I would say Afghanistan is probably the worst place that a woman could ever live especially when it comes to abuse.

Egypt is far from the likes of Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan. Egypt gives women much more freedom. They prefer marriages that are set up between parents however, the children are free to marry whoever they wish. Since Egypt is primarily Muslim they do request women keep their heads covered by at least a scarf. As a tourist, women can dress as they wish but understand how the culture is. Respect how they see women in a respectful but desirable manner. You will want to keep your head covered and wear pants or a long dress. Women have the right to work, go to school, and they inherit all of the money from their husband in case of death. The women are looked after and highly respected. They are not separated from the men unless they are praying at the mosque. There are a number of Christian families in Egypt too and when the women go to church they dress like everyone else. They all will wear hats or scarves to cover their hair since the hair is considered a desirable part of the women.

Lebanon is a country filled with a variety cultures. Women there are not repressed at all and have numerous groups that fight for more rights to get involved in such things as political and economic issues of the country. Music is popular in Lebanon where female singers promote their songs with risqué videos. The women in Lebanon may not have as many rights as an American woman, but they are well on their way.

Basically, depending on where a woman lives in the Middle East will determine on how she is looked at, treated, and how independent she can be. She can either live a very good life or one that is hard and restrictive. It is not very easy to understand how women are treated in some of the Arab countries, but we must also recognize that they are not all the same. Each country should be seen separately and not clumped together as one group that treats women horribly. This simply is not fair to the Arab countries that don't treat women badly or are not highly restrictive.

Taking rail transportation is typically not bad. Most railways will not run through the poor areas of the country. They usually have air conditioning and luxury conditions for tourists. You can take the Great Indian Orient Express which is known for offering tourists special packaged rates in order for them to ride their train.

If you are traveling to a rural area you may have to take a bus and these buses are without air conditioning. The reason I continue to mention air conditioning is because India is a very humid and hot country especially during the summer months. It can reach above 100 degrees easily. Not only are most of these buses without a/c, they are filled with plenty of hot and sweaty stinky bodies. The more they cram onto the bus the more the company will make so they don't care if people sit real close to each other or if others have to stand. Buses with air conditioning can be found in tourist areas. They make sure tourists are well taken care of.

A friend of mine who is from India travels there every couple of years to visit family who happen to live in very rural areas. She travels on the plane and then has to take a two hour train ride to only get into a taxi that takes another two or three hours. From there, she has to pick up another bus which can take about another hour or two. The entire trip can take anywhere from two to three days depending on how reliable the transportation is.

When you go to India simply try to stay in the main city tourist areas. If you want to explore India in a way that the residents do on a daily basis then you better be prepared to suffer the heat. Be ready to walk a lot and eat very little. My recommendation is to go during the winter months so you won't get so hot to the point of almost fainting. Get to know the culture as well because there will be many people following you and staring since they will know you are American from your appearance.